A fairly common and significantly younger disease of the leg joints in recent years is ankle arthritis. Anyone without exception can suffer from it - older people, young people and even children.
Awareness about the symptoms and causes of the disease, careful attention to one’s own body, proper nutrition, giving up bad habits - this is the necessary minimum effort of every person to prevent ankle arthritis. Do not try, even if informed, to treat the disease yourself; be sure to seek medical help.
Arthritis of the foot, like any inflammation of the joint, is accompanied by quantitative and qualitative changes in the synovial fluid. Let us recall that the joint is surrounded by an articular capsule, which is lined from the inside with a synovial membrane that produces synovial fluid.
This fluid acts as a lubricant, facilitating friction of the articular surfaces. In addition, synovial fluid delivers nutrients to the articular cartilage and removes metabolic products from it. After all, as you know, cartilage in a joint is devoid of blood vessels.
Due to the above reasons, the synovial membrane is first affected and synovitis develops. The inflamed synovial membrane secretes an excess amount of fluid, which causes swelling of the joint.
With arthritis, synovial fluid, even in excess quantities, cannot perform the functions assigned to it, as a result of which not only articular cartilage suffers, but also bone tissue, ligaments, and connective tissue.
Arthritis of the ankle joint is based on inflammatory processes that cause swelling, hypermia and destruction of the joint surfaces. In advanced forms of arthritis, partial or complete deformation of the joint occurs, up to the fusion of elements, the so-called “ankylosis.”
In fact, the term foot arthritis can mean about a hundred different pathologies with one common property. Each of the pathologies causes inflammation. The inflammatory process manifests itself as pain, swelling and eventually leads to immobilization of the joints.
The disease is diagnosed quite often, and in most cases, patients seek help when complications and pronounced symptoms occur. Damage to the joint structures in this case inevitably leads to a decrease in a person’s quality of life and can even cause disability.
Considering this, it is important to promptly begin adequate treatment of orthopedic pathology with mandatory subsequent rehabilitation.
It should be noted that inflammation of the joints, although in many cases has similar features, is formed in different ways. For example, rheumatoid arthritis of the foot develops against the background of an autoimmune process.
Microbial toxins combine with the body's antibodies in the so-called. immune complexes that attach to the connective tissue of the joint. The body's immune system, trying to destroy these complexes, destroys its own connective tissue.
In case of open intra-articular injuries, the infection penetrates into the articular cavity through the wound gate, and in reactive arthritis it is carried in by current from other organs. With gouty arthritis, uric acid salts (urates) accumulate in the joint cavity, and with diabetes mellitus, the entire foot suffers due to impaired blood circulation, including. and her joints.
The disease occurs at any age, including children (even newborns) and adolescents; it usually affects one large joint of the lower or upper limb, sometimes medium and small joints; In rare cases, inflammation of several joints may occur.
There is a certain connection between the age of the patient and the type of pathogen:
The prognosis of treatment largely depends on how early the arthritis was detected. The results of therapy and its duration can also be influenced by the type of disease being diagnosed.
In adults, the disease is most often a consequence of improper load on the joints, and is often found in athletes (runners, gymnasts, speed skaters, dancers), as well as in people in menopause, which is associated with changes in the hormonal system of patients.
In young children, arthritis can manifest itself due to nutritional disorders (lack of protein compounds, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D in food) or occur due to a reaction to certain allergens (food, dust, pollen, animal dander).
Factors that provoke the development of ankle arthritis may include:
Inflammation in the ankle can be caused by many reasons, let’s take a look at the main ones:
In some cases, the cause is urogenital or intestinal infections, which can cause reactive arthritis of the ankle joint. This type of disease occurs several days or even weeks after the onset of acute prostatitis, urethritis, vaginitis, enterocolitis.
The following also contribute to the development of the disease:
Arthritis of the ankle joint is divided into classifications according to types, forms of manifestation, severity, types and number of joints involved.
Classification of arthritis by type occurs depending on the nature of its occurrence and the characteristic features of its manifestation. Among the most common types of arthritis in practice, the following should be noted:
Each type of arthritis has two main forms:
The first form is usually accompanied by significant pain. As for the chronic form, it is aggravated by other joint disorders, up to their complete destruction.
If the disease is advanced, then within a couple of years a clear thickening of the ankle may begin to develop, in which the foot will have an unnatural position. In the absence of adequate treatment, the patient faces difficulty walking and bending the leg, as well as noticeable atrophy of the calf muscle.
We can roughly distinguish three main phases of the course (severity) of the disease:
Based on the number of joints involved, the disease is divided into mono- or polyarthritis
Reactive arthritis is inflammation of the joints that occurs against the background of an infectious disease of the stomach, intestines or genitourinary system. As a rule, the first signs of the disease are detected within a month after infection.
Reactive arthritis is more common in young men and is associated with diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. It should be noted that in case of food poisoning, both men and women are equally susceptible to inflammation of the joints.
The disease can be caused by a variety of bacteria that are localized in the genitals, urethra or urinary cavity. Hereditary predisposition plays an important role here.
In this regard, it is customary to distinguish between two types of arthritis. Namely:
When diagnosing foot arthritis, attention is paid to the pronounced symptoms of the pathology, as well as to the results of an ultrasound examination. The presence of arthritis is indicated by two main groups of symptoms:
Acute arthritis of various locations and different origins have similar symptoms:
With purulent arthritis of large joints and treatment started late, a picture of sepsis or infectious-toxic shock appears: the temperature exceeds 40°C; there is confusion or loss of consciousness; rave; blood pressure drops; pale skin with a bluish tint; pulse is frequent and weak.
Chronic arthritis is characterized by mild symptoms:
In the case of tuberculous arthritis, a specific symptom is noted - pale, not hyperemic skin over a swollen joint (“pale tumor”). With a long course of tuberculous arthritis, fistulas can form with the release of a thick, cottage cheese-like mass (caseous masses).
Despite the absence of external signs, a fairly rapid destruction of the joint from the inside occurs, up to the development of irreversible changes. The danger of chronic arthritis is that patients do not immediately consult a doctor, postponing examination and treatment - after all, the pain does not bother them too much.
As a result, the joint is damaged and full treatment becomes impossible. Advanced cases of chronic arthritis can cause disability.
In children, septic arthritis occurs somewhat differently than in adults:
With ankle arthritis, you may experience:
If adequate treatment is not provided, then after about two years complete destruction of the articular cartilage in the ankle may occur. Visually, there is a thickening in the area of the affected joint, it takes on an unnatural position, independent walking is difficult, passive movements are difficult, and may even be completely impossible.
For a doctor, the correct diagnosis plays a decisive role, since the symptoms of ankle arthritis have a number of common features with other pathologies with similar manifestations. For example, it can be difficult to distinguish chronic arthritis from arthrosis or arthropathy, and often these diseases are present at the same time.
Therefore, if you find yourself with the symptoms described above, hurry up and get tested as soon as possible. Here are the diagnostic methods that are usually used in arthrological practice:
During the interview and history taking: the nature of the pain in the joint and other complaints (limitation of movement, temperature, etc.) are clarified; pay attention to the presence of risk factors, indication of possible foci of chronic infection (tonsillitis), recent acute infectious diseases; assess the general condition of the patient and local changes (swelling, hyperemia, pain on palpation, degree of dysfunction).
A mandatory study that confirms the diagnosis of infectious arthritis and establishes its immediate cause (pathogenic microorganism) is a joint puncture with collection of synovial fluid.
The resulting liquid is subjected to microscopy, biochemical analysis and inoculation on nutrient media to determine sensitivity to antibiotics. With infectious arthritis, a large number of leukocytes are found in the synovial fluid, and the glucose level decreases (especially during a purulent process).
X-ray diagnostics are not informative in acute arthritis (since bone changes appear no earlier than 10 days from the onset of the disease), but are necessarily carried out to clarify the condition of the bones. In chronic arthritis, x-rays reveal characteristic signs of joint destruction.
Statistics show that most patients seek help already at the second stage of the disease. Once the etiology has been identified and the diagnosis has been made, treatment must be started immediately.
The following may be involved in the treatment of arthritis:
After making a diagnosis, specialists apply non-drug and drug treatment to the patient. Non-drug treatment includes the following measures:
It is also recommended to use auxiliary support objects (cane or crutches) when walking. These also include orthopedic shoe inserts and specially shaped boots with soles that reduce the load on the foot when moving.
This approach will improve metabolic processes in the body, which is very important for the restoration of the affected joint. Proper nutrition is especially indicated for overweight patients, since large body weight negatively affects the condition of the joints of the lower extremities.
The following methods of treating arthritis are also widely used:
It is necessary to understand that in any treatment there is nothing more or less important. All that really matters is that the therapy is carried out regularly and under the supervision of a professional specialist. Then you will be able to avoid serious and irreparable consequences that can have a very negative impact on the quality of your life.
Let us remember that chronic arthritis of the ankle joint must be treated systematically and comprehensively. Drug therapy in this case does not lead to a complete cure, but only provides an anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect. The effects of the drugs reduce swelling and relieve inflammation of the joints.
For each of the above arthritis, specific therapy methods are used to combat inflammation catalysts. There is also a standard course of treatment for this disease, including:
When the question arises of how to treat ankle arthritis, it is better to consult a specialist for an answer, since taking measures on your own can only worsen the situation.
For arthritis, it is recommended to take:
Foot arthroplasty is prescribed only after traditional drug treatment has failed. Indications for surgical treatment are: severe pain, complete loss of mobility and performance, the influence of the inflammatory process on the functioning of other internal organs, severe deformation of the transverse ankle joint, the presence of necrotic phenomena.
In this case, prosthetics is the only way to effectively cure the disease. If the patient has been registered as disabled, after arthroplasty, due to the restoration of mobility, the group is reviewed.
Leading European clinics give preference to minimally invasive surgical methods. Arthroplasty requires only a few small incisions, through which all other manipulations are performed. Before the operation, X-rays must be taken to help see the location and extent of the lesion.
In difficult cases, ankle replacement can be performed using an ultrasound machine or tomograph. Diagnostics allow the surgeon and staff to monitor manipulations and adjust them as necessary
In addition to medications and surgery, for more effective therapy, the patient is expected to: strictly follow the recommendations, eat properly, and perform special exercises for the feet every day.
Advanced forms of arthritis can result in very undesirable consequences for the patient in the form of deformation of the ankle joint, limitation of independent movement, and disability.
The disease has become significantly younger in recent years. Most cases of the disease, if detected early, can be treated with conservative methods without surgery. In this case, you can preserve the integrity of the ankle joint and avoid irreparable consequences that can affect your entire future life.
Arthritis itself can be complicated by:
Traditional recipes can be an excellent addition to the main treatment prescribed by a doctor. However, for arthritis, it is extremely undesirable to rely on traditional medicine alone, since in some cases this can lead to the development of adverse reactions and complications, the correction of which will require much more effort. In any case, before starting to use folk remedies, it is recommended to discuss treatment tactics with a specialist.
To treat arthritis you can use:
In addition to the methods described above, traditional medicine suggests using compresses as an effective method of combating arthritis and its manifestations. The main advantages of this method of administering medicinal substances are the rapid and at the same time long-lasting therapeutic effect. Medicinal plants with an anti-inflammatory effect are mainly used. Has an anti-inflammatory effect:
It is recommended to warm up joints with arthritis only after consulting a doctor, since if used incorrectly, this method can lead to the development of serious complications. The fact is that when exposed to heat, blood vessels dilate and microcirculation in tissues improves.
On the one hand, this improves the delivery of nutrients to damaged tissues and helps flush out toxic products from the source of inflammation. At the same time, improvement of microcirculation can cause the progression of the inflammatory process (with severe activity of rheumatic disease) or the spread of infection through the bloodstream throughout the body (with purulent arthritis).
That is why thermal procedures are prescribed only for moderate and weak activity of rheumatic diseases, after excluding infectious lesions of the joints. To warm up the joints you can use:
In the case of timely treatment and the absence of pre-existing changes in the joints (arthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, prosthesis), the prognosis is favorable - in approximately 70% of patients there is a complete recovery with restoration of joint function. With concomitant pathology, late or inadequate treatment, and microorganism resistance to antibacterial therapy, irreversible disorders develop in 25-50%.
Death is possible in deeply weakened patients and in old age. With the development of sepsis against the background of purulent arthritis, mortality continues to remain quite high (up to 15%).
Prevention comes down to preventing infection of the joints against the background of an infectious disease. If at least one of the risk factors is present, treatment of any infection should be carried out with the mandatory prescription of antibiotics. For penetrating joint injuries, it is necessary to treat the wound in a surgical hospital.
A number of nonspecific preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of developing arthritis: a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition strengthen the immune system; the absence of promiscuity sharply reduces the likelihood of developing gonorrheal arthritis; timely detection of tuberculosis (Mantoux test in children and adolescents, fluorography in adults) minimizes the risk of tuberculous arthritis.
To prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to: carry out the full course of treatment under the supervision of a doctor; monitor the effectiveness of antibacterial therapy by repeated studies of synovial fluid; Upon completion of antibacterial therapy, physical therapy, massage, and physical therapy are required.
During the recovery period, calcium supplements, chondroprotectors, and multivitamins may be recommended to quickly normalize joint function.
Prevention of arthritis includes:
One way to stop the development of ankle arthritis is through special sports exercises that will help increase blood circulation in the ankle area and also strengthen the corresponding muscles. In addition, normal function of the muscles that surround the joint capsule is important for ankle stability. To overcome ankle arthritis, exercises should be started without delay, after consulting with your doctor.
One of the simplest, but at the same time very effective exercises that helps with ankle arthritis is foot rotation. It primarily helps maintain ankle flexibility. Sit on a chair with a strong back, stretch your leg, straighten your knee. Extend your foot as far as possible, then slowly begin rotating your feet clockwise.
Do ten 10 turns, rest for a few seconds, then change direction. The exercise can also be done in warm water, sitting on the side of the pool, then this procedure will not be so stressful for the ankle joints.
Isometric exercises to strengthen muscles also help against ankle arthritis. The idea of such exercises is to expend maximum effort against any resistance within a few seconds.
For example, here is an exercise that helps prevent ankle arthritis - an exercise with a towel on the floor. Sit on a chair, place a towel on the floor in front of it. Place your bare feet on it so that your toes are on the edge of the towel farthest from you.
Squeeze the edge of the towel with your toes, hold this position, then relax your leg. Repeat this movement for 10 seconds. Then rest for a few seconds and continue with the other leg. Make sure that your heels are firmly pressed to the floor during the exercise and do not lift them.
Always remember that the onset of the disease is easier to prevent than to cure, so do not neglect the prevention of ankle arthritis
Arthritis of the ankle joint is an inflammatory process that occurs when infectious agents penetrate the cartilage tissue of the ankle joint. The penetration of infection can be associated either with a direct hit during injury, or indirectly, through the lymph and bloodstream.
Many people are familiar with the sight of swollen ankles with redness and the inability to put on their usual shoes. The disease can occur after an injury or in response to long-term use of medications that weaken one’s own immunity.
A slight aching pain can develop into a sharp one, which will not give rest even during a horizontal position.
The ICD 10 code will depend on the etiology of the pathological process:
For all types of arthritis, a coding with values M00-M25 is assigned.
It is important to know! Rheumatoid and stress-related arthritis are the most common causes of ankle inflammation. If you are at risk, you need to carefully monitor the load you receive and, if possible, take preventive measures that will help strengthen your ankle and increase the body’s resistance to various infections.
Signs of the development of ankle arthritis are similar to those affecting other joints.
If the patient ignores the symptoms and avoids seeing a doctor in every possible way, then in a couple of years he runs the risk of complete destruction of the ankle joint.
The advanced state of the disease is indicated by pronounced muscle atrophy in the ankle area, expressed in a noticeable decrease in girth in the area of the joint.
The patient may also complain of a deterioration in general health, weakness and lethargy caused by intoxication of the body. You should be wary of pain when flexing and extending the ankle joint, and the inability to put on your usual shoes.
The most common triggers for ankle arthritis are bruises and injuries. However, doctors identify a number of other reasons contributing to the development of the disease:
We have a very impressive list that shows how serious the risk of arthritis is, because, in fact, even a seemingly insignificant respiratory virus can provoke inflammation.
The first thing that needs to be done during an exacerbation of arthritis is to provide rest to the joint, relieve the patient from pain and stop the development of inflammatory processes.
Ankles that become swollen during exacerbation of arthritis can be returned to normal using folk remedies. What can be done to restore functionality to the ankle joint at home?
First, immobilize the joint. A fixing bandage will make it possible to provide rest to the inflamed area, which will significantly alleviate the condition.
Secondly, poultices and compresses are actively used to relieve pain, get rid of swelling and reduce the manifestation of the inflammatory process. Baths made from fresh spruce needles and flax seeds in the form of a compress have proven themselves well. Also often onion pulp, cabbage leaves, and honey are applied to the large joint.
Warming ointments and tinctures, together with insulation, can relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
It should be noted that in case of acute purulent arthritis, experiments with traditional medicine can only lead to complications.
In order for the prognosis to become favorable, it is necessary to use drug treatment together with physiotherapy, massage, and physical therapy.
Therapy is carried out comprehensively, taking into account the individual characteristics of the disease in a particular patient. In advanced cases, surgical intervention may be required to pump out pus from the joint cavity and wash it with antibiotics.
Antibiotics for ankle arthritis are indicated to eliminate infectious agents and prevent the spread of pathogenic pathogens to similar tissues in other joints.
It is preferable to inject drugs intramuscularly or inject directly into the joint cavity. Such local injections promote effective action directly on the site of inflammation and help prevent the development of side effects of drugs.
Antibiotic treatment lasts up to 30 days. This duration is due to the need to completely rid the body of the presence of pathogens.
Warming ointments help relieve pain, relieve inflammation and increase blood microcirculation in the area of the affected joint, which has a beneficial effect on recovery processes.
Diet is one of the additional factors influencing the condition of the joints. Often the cause of inflammation is disturbances in metabolic processes. Changing your diet allows you to enrich your diet with the required nutrients. Chondroprotective supplements can be added to the diet to restore damage to the joint and restore elasticity.
Massage and a complex of exercise therapy can help relieve swelling in ankle arthritis after the inflammation has been removed and the temperature has been reduced to an acceptable level. Specific exercises are selected by the attending physician. First, the patient performs the complex under the supervision of a specialist, after which he can do it independently.
Immunomodulatory therapy is of great importance, because a course of hormonal drugs and antibiotics has a detrimental effect on the body’s own microflora. The formation of immunity will prevent relapses of the disease by strengthening the body's resistance.
Children are very dynamic in their development and curiosity. At the same time, their ligamentous and muscular apparatus is not yet fully strengthened, which can cause repeated damage to the ankle joint due to dislocations and subluxations. We cannot exclude bruises and wounds, which can cause infection to enter the joint cavity.
As a preventive measure, it is important to purchase comfortable shoes for children with high-quality ankle support. This will help avoid injury, which means the risk of developing arthritis will be reduced.
Parents are advised to pay attention to even minor injuries that the child receives. Each can become a trigger for the penetration of pathogenic microflora into the joint cavity and cause an inflammatory process. Be sure to make a follow-up visit to the traumatologist, especially if the child complains of pain after the visible signs of the injury have disappeared.
We remember that inflammation of the ankle joint can be caused by the penetration of an infectious pathogen. This could be ARVI, intestinal infection, diseases of the genitourinary system. The only way to protect a child from disease is to stimulate the functioning of his immune system so that the body can resist viruses and pathogenic bacteria.
Important signals will be redness and swelling of the soft tissues in the ankle area, and mobility is impaired. If the child is already walking, there will be lameness. The baby will noticeably take care of his leg and will stop running and jumping.
If you discover a symptom, consult a doctor as soon as possible to identify the cause of the disease and begin treatment. Remember that delay has a detrimental effect on the child’s joint. Early detection promotes full recovery.
Ankle arthritis can affect more than just older, overweight people. At risk are children and adolescents with weak ankles, prone to frequent bruises and injuries; workers who have to carry heavy loads, as well as specialists who spend most of the working day on their feet.
Frequent colds and hypothermia also have a detrimental effect on ankle health. A weakened immune system opens the way for infections that can easily infect cartilage tissue. Arthritis also threatens those who are the epitome of a healthy lifestyle - athletes whose achievements mean daily extreme stress on the ankle.
Timely recognition of symptoms allows treatment to be carried out more effectively than to deal with the devastating consequences that threaten complete destruction of the cartilage. A healthy ankle is a guarantee of your freedom of movement!